Tabulation control system



Dec. 11, 1945 FIG. |05/ Filed April 6, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet l .ll Il 33 l Il "l" "lh INVENToR LOU IS M. POTTS ATTORNEY Dec 11, 1945- M. PvoTTs 2,390,664

TABULATION CONTROL SYSTEM FiledApril e, 1944 5 sheets-sheet 2 IOI LOUIS M. POTTS ATTORNEY.

Dec. 11, 1945. M. POTTS TABULATION CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 6, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 NN Nm INVENTOR LOUIS M. POTTS ATT RNEY Dec. 11, 1945. M. PoTTs 2,390,664

TABULATION CONTROL SYS TEM Filed April 6, 1944 5 SheetS-Shee 4 ATTOR EY Dec. 11, 1945. M. P01-.Ts

TABULATION CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 6, 1944 5 Sheets-Shea?l 5 INVENTOR Louls M. PoT'rs FIG.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1945 TABULATION coNTRoL SYSTEM Louis M. Potts, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a, corporation of Delaware Application April 6, 1944, Serial No. 529,753

24 Claims.

The present invention relates to a printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to telegraph receiving apparatus with movable carriage mechanism having automatic tabulation control.

The principles of this invention are herewith presented in several embodiments and are concerned with the provision of rotary platen telegraph printing apparatus e'quipped with a plurality of individual strip feeding devices. The invention is featured as being applied to commercial printing telegraph machines of the type generally illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,904,164, in which a transversely movable carriage supports a printing type basket and in which the control or character selection is transmitted to a set of horizontal vanes which are permutably tilted about their longitudinal axes, and then through said varies to a set of notched code bars carried by the type carriage. In ac- -cordance with each permutable disposition of these code bars, a single one of the type pallets is struck against the particular platen with which the carriage is brought into alignment. A series of such platens are arranged on a common horizontal axis, but each one is individually actuatable so that the strip of printing material passing around it may be advanced independently of the movement of any of the other strips of printing material.

Under the control of various prearranged tabulation signals the carriage is rapidly advanced from its left-hand or any intermediate position to a predetermined selected position by the operation of the conventional carriage moving mechanism. As each selective position of the carriage is attained, printing may thereafter be consummated in accordance with the conventional practice known in telegraph and other printing devices'of this class, and at the conclusion of printing in relation to any one of the selected strips of material there may be effected a further selection rightwardly, or under certain proposed conditions of operation the carriage may be invariably restored to its zero or starting (beginning of line) position in readiness for movement to any of the several platens rightwardly of such zero position.

In accordance with the provisions of one of the embodiments herewith proposed, a plurality of individual printing platens are supported so as to be shiftable between upper and lower case printing positions. In this embodiment there is provided means whereby printing upon any one of the platens may be effected in either of the case positions and accordingly, the selection of n of any one of the several strips of material may be effected by a code selection in either one of the shift positions. In this embodiment, moreover, provision is made whereby the selection of one of the strips of record material is effected from a predetermined starting position of the printing carriage and thereafter when the carriage is moved from this starting position, printing may be performed by the use of the same signals which are utilized for effecting tabulation or carriage shifting selection without thereafter causing a tabulation response.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a multiple tape printing telegraph apparatus in which single tabulation signals are utilized in the advancement of a common printing carriage to each of a plurality of printing strips, where printing is thereafter performed transversely of the strips, and during which printing, said strips may be individually advanced in accordance with the conventional practice of line feed operation without similarly affecting the adjacent strips of printing material.

The further object of the present invention is to provide a movable carriage type of printing telegraph apparatus in which a tabulation control mechanism is utilized for moving a printing carriage to any of a plurality of parallel ribbon supporting platens which may be individually shifted to upper and lower case printing positions without similarly affecting the adjacent printing platens.

In attaining the foregoing and other objects of the present invention there is utilized in various embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings the features of a horizontally disposed printing platen composed of a plurality of individual cylinders pivoted on individual shafts arranged on a common axis and each individually fed from a supply roll of strip material supported in an appropriate trough. Each of the printinf,T strips is advanced by a spring loadedtake-up roll and the movement is regulated by an escapement or tape feed device which is effective only when the printing carriage addresses the particular one of the several platens. vPrinting is performed transversely of the strip just as in the case of page printing telegraph apparatus and following each line of printing a conventional line feed operation is performed by the mechanism of the printing telegraph device customarily provided for this purpose.

Tabulation is regulated along a horizontal trackway by means of ve code bars having on their uppermost edges various distributions of V-tooth notchings. A series of probing levers pivotally supported and having probing terminals arranged in transverse alignment are pivotally carried by the transfer bell cranks which communicate the code setting from the transverse vanes to the type basket segments. When the type basket carriage is released from its leftmost or zero position and permitted to move rightwardly in search of the selected tape, the several probing levers ride in and out of the notchings on related code bars but upon attaining the selected position the notchings thereat are so arranged that all of the levers will then and then only be disposed in downward position permitting a transverse bail member to descend and instantly to effect the arrestment of further travel on the part of the carriage. In accordance with one of the embodiments herein taught. the selection of a second tape disposed to the right of any particular selected tape may be effected directly from the previous arrestment position; however, in accordance with the alternative plan of operation tabulation may be selected only from a zero position requiring, therefore, that following each printing upon a tape restoration of the carriage be obtained in order. that the following tabulation selection will be enalbled through the proper placement of the printing carriage.

In a modified embodiment of the invention there is featured an arrangement whereby each one of the printing platens is individuallypivoted and is separately displaceable so that it may be shifted between two case positions under the supervision of the conventional key shift control apparatus provided in the standard mechanism. In this arrangement there is provided an escapement ratchet and pawl mechanism for advancing the tape in either one of its case positions through the agency of a common line feed control apparatus selected by the conventional line feed signal. In this embodiment a spring tensioned takeup roll is used as the medium for advancing the tape when movement thereof is permitted by the escapement device. v

In accordance with the present invention a single printing mechanism and a single set of type elements is provided for recording on a plurality of separate pieces of record material which are arranged vertically instead of horizontally and in which printing is effected transversely of the strips and not lengthwise, thus the plurality of strips are in effect narrow pagesy on each of which a separate and independent record may be made; for example, weather reports from different localities or cities, and similar information.

For a lbetter understanding of the invention reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings and to the detailed specification following hereinafter, wherein' like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a printing device such as is featured in U. S. Patent No. 1,904,164, modified by the addition thereto of an alignment of separate platens and vertical ribbon supporting mechanisms together with the tabulation control apparatus incident to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the apparatus featured in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 to 6 are transverse sectional views through the tabulation and selecting mechanism featuring various conditions of operation incident to the supervision of the mechanism for obtaining tabulation control and rapid carriage movement; Y

Fig. 7 is a simplined wiring diagram designating the electrical control circuit utilized in connection with the foregoing described embodiment of the present inventiom' Fig. 8 is an enlarged :letail view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 featuring the tabulation control mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view partially in section viewed in the same field as Fig. 2 but featuring a modiiied adaptation of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail view of an individual shiftable printing platen which characterizes the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail section of the shiftable printing carriage and platen mechanism showing a changed position in dotted outline and viewed as in Fig. 9.

Since the features of the present invention are superimposed upon a well known fundamental printing telegraph structure, the general operation of carriage printing mechanism of this class will be but cursorily reviewed in connection with the following detailed description, reference being had to the above U. S. patent for information pertaining to the details of operation of the known structure. The description being given here pertains to those parts of the original structure only which relate to the present improvement.

The reference character II denotes a supporting base casting of general rectilinear formation having side walls and front wall portions extensively cut away to accommodate various items of movable apparatus and giving support principally to the manual controlled keyboard I2, featured in Fig. 1, throughwhich the transmitting apparatus, indicated generally at I 0, as well as local printing may be supervised; to several supporting track members which will be more particularly identified during the course of the ensuing description,

ably modified by the addition of upstanding side wall sections I3 for giving support to the take-up reel I4, Flg. 2, as well as to the individual tape feed mechanisms generally designated I5.

At the remote end of a motor driven shaft I8, Fig. 2, there is located a telegraph selecting mechanism which distributes incoming line signals after the manner explained in the above-mentioned patent and through the medium of various transfer devices the motion is ultimately imparted to a series of six horizontal selector vanes I1.

The six vanes I'I represent a six-unit code comi bination signal, the sixth unit or impulse of which controls case shift, and the vane relating to the latter is specially designated I 1a in Figs.

In accordance with the various manners in which the vanes I1 may be disposed the resulting combination may afford a setting to set one of a plurality of function levers, the general class of which are designated I 8, Fig. 2, but one of said function levers designated I9, differs from the general class by reason of its having no notched upstanding section, as in the general class I8,

to be encountered by selected ones of the five code combination vanes I'I. 'I'he sole selection 'characteristic of member I9 resides in a small section thereof disposed in front of vane I 'Ia so that when the latter member is in its marking position,

member I9 is selectable and may move leftwardly and to the platen supporting apparatus prefers about its pivot 2|, but when said vane |1a is in its spacing position then member I9 is prevented from being selected.

In accordance with conventional practice a disposition of the sixth vane |1a is a distinguishing feature between the upper case and lower case condition of the apparatus so that as a result of the selection determining the position of vane Ila a signal is classified in terms of figures or letters shift. It will be understood, therefore, that in accordance with the arrangement now being described the selection of member I9 may be obtained in response to any Letters or unshift code combination regardless of the manner in which the general class of vanes I1 happen to be disposed, while such member I9 will invariably be barred from selection in response to any of Vthe Figures or shift code combination signals also regardless of the disposition of the general class of vanes I1. There will now be described an arrangement whereby in response to the selection of member I9 there is effected a rapid shifting of the printing carriage 22 following which printing in the Figures shift position is obtained by disposing the vane |1a in its clockwise position whereat it will bar the further selective operation of member I9. The permutative disposition of the five code combination vanes I1 is mechanically transmitted through the medium of a set of five bell crank levers 23 each pivoted on an individual pivot screw 24 to a set of arcuate segments or code bars 25 the uppermost edges of which are variously notched so that when set in response to received signals, each setting affords an individual clearance to one of a series of type pallets 26. The manner in which this control is consummated is clearly explained in the referred to patent.

In accordance with the present improvement the vertically disposed arms of the bell cranks 23 are designed each to afford a pivot support, as at 21, to a horizontal probing lever 28. The probing extremities 29 of the several levers 28 are in substantially transverse alignment, see Figs. 1 and 8, though their several pivots 21 are located at various distances therefrom in accordance with the location of their respective bell crank arms 23. It is to be noted that as the vanes I1 may be variously disposed so also may the bell crank levers 23 be disposed with respect to the angular position on their respective pivots 24.Y For the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of the present invention, there being designated ten vertically disposed webs 3| (Fig. l) of ribbon material upon which printing is to be effected, it

`will follow that the printing carriage 22 is to be selectively arrestable in any of ten different positions along its route of travel.

Accordingly, there are provided a set of selector bars 32, Figs. 1, 2,' and 8, having transverse notchings 33, throughout the several of said bars 32 so located that upon predetermined dispositions of the bell cranks 23 the probing extremities 29 will be collectively receivable in'correspondence with the notchings of the bars 32 relating to each one of the strips 3| when the carriage 22 moves into alignment with the i'lrst columnar printing position 'With respect to said strip. There being ten such strips 3|, the code groupings 33 will necessarily be required to accommodate at least nine selectable positions, it being unnecessary to select the starting position assuming the condition happens to coincide with the first strip alignment.

When the several levers 28 moving leftwardly,

together with the carriage 22 and the several bell cranks 23,/ ride in and out of the notchings 33 one or more of them may at various times drop into an associated notch 33 but so long as al1 of the levers 28 do not do so the transverse bail 34, Fig. 8, will remain in the position designated and the progress of the carriage 22 will not be arrested. However, upon the contingency of all of the levers 28 finding an alignment of notches 33 into which their probing extremities 29 may descend at the same time, the bail 34 will in response to spring 35 (Fig. 1) rock counterclockwise about pivot 36 thrusting the plunger 31 downwardly (see also Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive) to strike with its lowermost extremity 38 the horizontal 4bar 39 which extends the full Width of travel of the carriage 22, as best designated in Fig. 1.

The aforedescribed transmission of movement on the part of bail 34 through plunger 31 to the bar 39 is instantaneous, and bar 39 in turn being part of a bail lever 4| (Fig. 3) likewise imparts instantaneously this motion to a pair of pivotally supported pawls 42 and 43. As best indicated in Figs. 3 to 6, bail lever 4I is pivoted on opposite trunnion pins 44 in a stationary part of the framework and an extremity 45 of said bail extends so as to engage both of the tail portions of pawl levers 42 and 43 which together engage, with their shouldered extending portions, notches in a horizontally movable trip bar 46. Pawl 42 is pivoted at 41 in the aforedescribed selectable member I9 while pawl 43 is pivoted as at 48 in a stationary part of the supporting structure so that when the stepping pawl 42 is reciprocated, there may be imparted a step-by-step movement to the bar 46 rightwardly because pawl 43 serves to maintain said bar in said position.

Actually, the motion imparted by a single step on the part of pawl 42 is sufficient to thrust the foremost portion of bar 46 against the insulation piece 49 (Figs. 3 to 6) of a contact blade forming part of the contact pair 5I for opening the transmitting circuit during the contingency of selection of mem'ber I9. In Fig. 7 is shown schematically a circuit arrangement for suppressing transmission during the time the type carriage is being moved into tabulating position from one column to another, In this figure, a receiving perforator-transmitter is indicated generally at |94. This may be a combined unit or it might be merely a receiving reperforator and a sepa-v rate transmitter unit with the tape passing from the reperforator into the transmitter in well-known manner. The incoming signals are received by a selector magnet which selectively controls the perforator portion of the combined unit |94. The prepared tape passes into the transmitter portion and controls the transmitting contacts |96. The signals froml contacts |96 control the selecting magnet |91 of the apparatus according to the present invention. The contact 5| in the receiving printer apparatus with which the present invention is concerned, is in the circuit of the clutch control magnet |98 of the transmitter, and when contact .5| is opened during a tabulation operation, rmagnet |98 is de-energized and transmission is suspended or suppressed until the correct strip 3| has been selected and the type basket 22 is properly located for printing on said strip. In addition to this response, an upstanding portion 52 integral with bar 46 engages one arm of an acute angled bell crank 53 pivted at 54 whose other arm instantly thrusts against a sidewardly projecting lug 56 integral with a'pivoted lever 58 freely rotatable upon a transverse shaft 81.

The movement thus imparted to lever 56 overcomes the influence of its return spring 58 and re suits in the lifting of blocking projection 59 thereof from the path of the stop shoulders 6I of a disc 62 carried by the shaft i6 with which are integrally associated the afore-dcscrlbed discs 62 as well as the driving gear 63, Fig. 2, which imparts rotation through driven gear 64 to the vertical shaft 65 for moving the typecarriage 22 through the engagement of its driving gear 66 with the teeth. of a transverse rack bar 61;

It will be noted, therefore, that as a result f the selection of member I9 and following its return movement clockwise about pivot ZI. pawl 42 carried thereby will cause to be released shaft i6 together with its driving gear 63 for eecting the rapid movement of the type carriage 22. As the latter moves rightwardly, supported upon the cylindrical guide rod 68, (Fig. 2) and the transverse beam 69, the several probing levers 28 ride '1n and out of the various notchings 33 of the set 0f code bars 32. Meanwhile, it will be recalled that a particular code setting has been imparted to the selector vanes I1 establishing a predetermined displacement through the bell cranks 23 to the pivot 21 of said probing levers 28 so that their probing extremities 29 are predeterminedly arranged to agree with a particular transverse alignment of said notchings 33 located in said code bars 32, said notchings occurring at such a position that upon the encounter thereof with said probing extremities 29 the printing locus of the several type pallets 26 will then be in alignment with the starting position relative to one of the forms 3| As a consequence, levers 28 (Fig, 8) will drop and permit the transverse bail member 34 to be rotated about its pivot 36. This will thrust control rod 31 (Fig. 2) downwardly under the influence of spring 35 and its lowermost extremity 38 will thereupon encounter the bail 39 imparting counterclockwise rotation thereto (as viewed in Fig. 2) about pivot 44. The remote end of bail lever 4I will accordingly be moved upwardly and projection 45 thereof will engage the tail of operating pawl 42 as well as latching pawl 43 removing the saw-tooth extremity thereof from the teeth of parallel motion -trip bar 46.

Bar 46 thereupon may respond to the influence of the restoration spring 1l causing to be withdrawn the upstanding projection 52 which had been engaging and moving the acute angled bell crank 53. As a consequence, blocking lever 56 will be permitted to resume its illustrated position with lug 59 again in the path of one of the three blocking teeth 6I of disc 62.

When motion is withheld from the driving gear 63 it accordingly arrests carriage 22 since the driving train therebetween is continuous and depends upon the rotation of shaft I6 through which it is frictionally driven after the manner disclosed in the afore-mentioned patent.

Member I9 is actuated by a spring 12 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 2I, during which motion the pawl 42 advances to engage a succeeding tooth in the notched lower edge of bar 46. However, the return movement of member I9 is imparted to it by a transverse bar 13 of the function lever bail 18 which similarly affects all of the general class of selectable function levers I 8 discussed above.

Transverse rod 13 is thus effective upon the general class of members I8 as well as upon special members I9 when it engages the inclined surface 'it of an upstanding arm 18/ thereof, which arm is also provided with an abutment shoulder 16 (Figs. 3 to 6) that moves into the pathof the print suppression element 11 secured to the function lever bail 18. In this way the printing bail assembly 19 is withheld from approaching its counterclockwise extreme position and thus becoming effective to consummate a printing operation, a performance depending upon the movement of its parallel bail bars 8l to an extent indicated in dotted outlines in Fig. 6. Instead, these bail bars are held as indicated in Fig. 4 opposing the eect of the power spring 82. Restoration of the assembly 19 moving it to its clockwise extreme position is the function performed .by a cam carried upon shaft I6 but independently driven thereat after the manner explained in the above-referred to patent.

As best indicated in Figs. 2 and 9, a roller 83 is disposed between the afore-mentioned bail blades 8| of the bell crank assembly 19 and is pivotally carried upon a stud 84 which forms part of an integral assembly, including among other things. a pull bar actuating bail 85, Fig. 2, constrained to parallel horizontal movement by a pair of opposite guide rollers 86 within the guide frames 81.

The motion imparted to roller 83 is in turn communicated to the pull ,bar bail blade thrusting -the latter member rst leftwardly, Figs. 2 and 9, then restoring it rightwardly in sharp staccato motion. During its movement leftwardly, its acute angled shoulder engages any one of the shoulders 88 of a selectable pull bar conditioned by the disposition of the set of curved selector bars 25 and this causes an associated one of the type bars 26 to be 4thrust against the printing platen I49 after the manner of the dotted outlined position 90 in Fig. 9. The prevention, as by the coaction of print suppression member 11 with shoulder 16, of the full reciprocable motion oi the bell crank assembly 19 prevents the corresponding movement of pull bar bail 85, and consequently the printing operation which may be otherwise selectively prepared on account of the code combination signal affecting the conventional flve selector vanes I1 and the consequent code setting of the curved code bars or segments 25 is suppressed.

As a result, the receipt of a code signal, when the sixth selecting vane I1a is disposed in its marking position (shown in Fig. 2), has no effect on the printing mechanism in accordance with the mechanical embodiment featured in Figs. l to 6.

When any one of the several tapes 3I is selected, therefore, the printing carriage 22r will be moved rightwardly, Fig. l, until the printing locus; that is, the point at which the type pallets 26 strike the ribbon 89, will coincide with the lefthand column of one of the printing tapes 3I and will thereafter in accordance with the conventional responses of printing telegraph machines move one step distance to the right in contemplation of the printing operation of a succeeding character. Since the proposed embodiment contemplates the printing of numerals or upper case characters solely, it will be understood that the. information typed upon any one of the paper ribbons 3I will consist almost entirely of numeral or fraction characters. This practice is designed to accommodate the requirement of stock quotation reporting where each one of the tapes 3| is allocated to a particular stock and, upon the mg 1edse us integral with the striker manA us ,being of suflicient width to align with the lower extremity of pawl .|05 duringall ofits conditions of alignment with any one of the particular stock tapes 3|.

Bail 91 is pivotally supported atopposite anchor points I9 and is actuated by means of the link in alignment with a corresponding magazine trough 92, by which term is meant one vof the semi-circular faces divided off by the partitions 98 and within whichthere may be reposed a supply roll 94 of ribbon material resting upon one or more of the longitudinal supporting rails 95.

The ribbon or material as it is stripped from its supply roll 94-is directed over a curved transverse guide member 96 so as to make certain of clearing a horizontal transverse bail 91 utilized in effecting the line feed operation as will presently be described. The ribbon after being directed around its individual platen roller 9| then extends upwardly and over a feed roller` 98 against whose periphery it is held by means of the bell crank supported tensioning roller 99.

From the periphery of feed roll 98, ribbon 3| extends to a spring loaded take-up roll carried by an individual take-up reel |4 and powered by an involute spring |02 which may be manually wound when required so as to impart a clockwise torque to the reel 4 when the adjacent disc |03 to which the internal end of the spring |02 is fastened and which in turn is latched in spring loaded position by means of a latch pawl I 04.

It is proposed that the power capacity of each spring |02 may be sufficient to take care of the maximum requirements of the mostactive stock` which may be represented by one of the columns and one of the paper ribbons 3|'. As a consequence, continuous pulling tension is applied to each one of the ribbons 3| and transmitted on through to its point of engagement with the detented feed roll 98, Fig. 2, each member of Which is individually actuatable when its feed pawl |05 'is reciprocated in a vertical direction as permitted by the longitudinal openings |06 held by transverse supporting rods |01. The uppermost extremities of the several pawls |05 are toothed as at |08, and thereat engage the ratchet wheel teeth of individual wheels |09 rotating the latter members in a clockwise direction upon upward movement of said pawls and overcoming the effects of detenting pawls which are spring urged to maintain their set position following each pawl operation. Springs H2 assist in maintaining the operational engagement between pawls |05 and their ratchet wheels |09 while a guide comb ||3 extending in a horizontal direction affords lateral support to said pawls |05.

Feed pawls |05 are normally retained in their down position under the iniiuence of individual springs ||4 which engage sidewardly extending lugs integral with the pawls |05 and are suitably secured in a stationary part of the framework. The lowermost extremities of the pawls |05 are square shouldered and beneath each one there is disposed an individual striker arm ||5 of a lever whose opposite arm I6 extends beneath the transverse bail 91, previously described. Since lever |5| I6 is pivotally carried at I1, it travels with the carriage 22 and hence is brought into alignment with any one of the pawls |05 when the printing locus of the carriage is in alignment with its associated tape 3|, a sidewardly extendvided with |2I extending from its pivotal connectionj|22 to an ear |23 of a bell crank |24 pivoted at |25. The depending arm of bell crank |24 is pivotally I connected as at |26 to a line feed plunger rod |21 providedwith a shoulder at' |28 engageable by the transverse common operating bail blade |29. Bail blade |29 is carried upon an arm |3| pivoted on shaft 51 and actuated by an arm integral with arm 3| and powered by a cam integral with shaft |6. Accordingly,` during the continuous rotation of shaft ||6 bail arms |3| and operating bail blade |29 continue in reciprocable movement engaging and act ating any selectable push bars, such as the line f ed bar |21, that is moved upwardly dispging its shoulder |28 in the path of the blade The manner of operating bail blade |29 and the cam which performs its function are not illustrated in d etail since this mechanism pertains to well-known construction shown in the above referred to U.S. patent. The selective disposition l of any one of the push bars, such as line feed bar |21, is under the control of an auxiliary member |32 pivoted upon the afore-described transverse shaft 2| and provided with a vertical coded section such as that designated 8 in Fig. 2. Accordingly, its selectivemovement in a counterclockwise direction about pivot 2| under the iniiuence of an individual spring such as the spring 12 causes the lifting of its portion |32 and consequent disposition of bar |21 in the path of blade |29.

Following a selective actuation, that is, operated rightwardly by thel blade |29 of member |21, bell crank |24 is rocked counterclockwise about its pivot |25 pulling link |2| downwardly and striking the common bail 91 against the tail arm ||6 of lever ||5-| I6 which performs, through feed pawl 05, the afore-described line feed operation and consequent advancement of the associated tape 3| then being imprinted.

will be mentioned, it being understood that the other portions may be essentially the same in construction. v Instead of the selectable member I9, the modified adaptation utilizes a corresponding element designated |4|, of slightly different contour and beingundercut in the proximity of the sixth vane lla so as to be unaffected thereby and being prol a sidewardly and upwardly extending proJection at |42 which registers in horizontal alignment with a bar |43 that extends the full width of travel of the carriage and is provided with a single notch designed to register with the sidewardly extending projection |42 when the printing carriage 22 is brought into carriage relected condition, upon being or beginning of line position, in alignmen with the first tape 3|.

By' providing that the notch in bar l |43 be located in a-particular position, it is thus rendered possible for member |4| to assume its sefreed by the down,- ward movement ofcam bar 13, under but one condition in terms of the relative position of print-v ing carriage 22. Since this is so it follows that the selecting code combination which may be made to effect the arrestment of printing carriage 22 in any of several positions as explained in the foregoing preferred embodiment `may also be utilized for performing print hammer operation and may accordingly serve the dual purpose of arresting the carriage 22 and thereafter of causing the printingof certain alphabetical characters on any one of the particular tapes 3|.

The sidewardly and upwardly extending lug |42 which is formed as an appendage to the vertical arm of function lever |4| prevents this lever, under certain conditions of operation, from rocking counterclockwise about pivot 2|. The shoulder |44, which corresponds in location and` performance to the aforedescribed blocking shoulder 16, is adapted to become interposed beneath the bail portion 11 just as in the preferred embodiment. A dierentiation between the two systems resides in the manner of utilizing the present improvement following each selection and printing. Since each column position may be selectively determined only from the starting or beginning of line position, it'follows that conprevented when the type carriagev is in its starting or beginning of line position. Thereafter, however, when the type carriage moves away from the position in which selectable element |4| may move inwardly as through the admission of its 'lug |42 in the notch of bar |43, then shoulder |44 will not advance far enough to intercept the function bail portion11. The counterclockwise movement of member |4| notwithstanding the obstruction effect of its blocking shoulder |44 on bail member 11 is sufficient nevertheless, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit pawl 42 thereof, traveling leftwardly about shaft 2| as a center, to engage a succeeding tooth of parallelly moving bar 46, and upon the return movement of member |4| the rightward motion of pawl 42 causes said bar 46 to engage and operate contact pair 5| and |45 is directed downwardly and over an individual feed roller. |41 against whose periphery it is held by means of a spring loaded pressure roller |48. Then, the web 3| is directed upwardly over a printing anvil |49, and. thence over uppermost guide roll |5| where the tape is again tensioned by,an auxiliary roll |52. to be wound up on a spring K in readiness to .enter when principal pawl |54 is rocked clockwise about its supporting pivot |55 and is cammed by pin |51 whichrides in a longitudinal slot |55 on thetrailing arm vof said pawl |55. Upon the return movement of the principal pawl |54 a reverse motion is imparted by the pin |51 engaging in said slot |58 causing the tooth of auxiliary pawl 55 to be withdrawn and the tooth of principal pawl |54 to be reinstated. During the interim, an escape movement of an angular distance corresponding to one of the teeth of wheel |53 is thereby effected. Because of the torque imparted by the spring-loaded take-up reel I4, the tape 3| is continuously urged in windalso, through member 53, to rock the stop lever 56 out of its position wherein it blocks the escape disc 62. Thereafter, the responses continue as in the preferred embodiment, the operation of the several elementsl being otherwise substantially identical with thatof the foregoing description.

The tape upon which the printing is done is obtained from a plurality of supply rolls 94, Fig. 9, which lie in partitioned troughs 92 from which the web is withdrawn and directed over a guide rod |45. This is to give the web 3| suflicient clearance to avoid the path of an operating bail |46 (Fig. 9) whose performance will be described later. 'I he web 3| after passing over guide rod up direction so that when the afore-described -tooth escapement obtains, impetus to the tape f 3| permits the line feed operation to be thereb |6| in supporting arms |62 carried by the print- Since the cari ing carriage 22 described above. riage 22 is movable transversely throughout the distance affordedY by the guide andsupporting rails 68 and 69, it followsvthat the several tapes v3| after leaving their supply rolls 94 must be held high enough to clear the path described bythe uppermost extremity of striker bail |46 as it, too. travels this distance. Bail |46 is spring urged in counterclockwise direction about its pivot |6| but is prevented from moving into engagement with any4 of the arms |59, with which it happens to be in alignment, by the intervention of a horizontal bar |63 integrally associated with a bell crank |64, another'arm of which is pivotally ar ticulated as at |65 to the line feed actuating link |66. In the present embodiment, link |66 is connected at its lower extremity to the bell crank |61 pivoted at '|68 and which is rotatable in a counterclockwise ldirection about its pivot upon being actuated by the selectable plunger |21 as described in the preferred embodiment above.

A selection of member |32 and the consequent selective displacement of bar |21 is a. response of the principal telegraph apparatus to a conventional type of line 'feed signal whereupon the shoulder |28 is raised sufficiently to come into the path of common operating bail |29 carried by arm |3|. In consequence, bell crank |61 is rotated counterclockwise, link |66 is pulled downwardly, bell crank |64 is rotated clockwise and bail |46 is then permitted'to respond the urge of its spring |69 and shift arm -|59 leftwardly, as viewed in Figs. 9 and 11, thereby producing the escapement movement of pawls 54 and |55 as already described.

A pair ai. =tiectable elements lresembling in performance the Aelement |32 acts upon a corresponding pair of bars opposing each other on the opposite ends of a lever |1| pivoted at |12 and designed to impart clockwise and counterclockwise motion to a bell crank lever |13 which is pivoted at |14. These two selections are termed shift and unshift and their object is to effect a disposition of the typing platen so as to register with the upper and lower case characters on the type pallet 26 when they are in printing position as designated in dotted outlines at 89, Figs. 9 and 11.

The manner in which its motion is transmitted to the bell crank |13 is fully explained in the above-mentioned patent, and for the present pur.- pose lt will suffice to feature in the drawing that portion only of the mechanism subsequent to the bell crank |13 and including link |16, in Fig. 9. The case shift lever |11 is illustrated in Fig.`9 in letters or un'shift position and upon the rotation of bell crank |13 in a clockwise direction, link |16 will be pulled downwardly and lever 11 will be rotated clockwise about pivot |56 causing a transverse bail |18 to be lifted.

As a consequence of the lifting of bar |18 from the letters to the gures shift position, which is its movement fromsolid to the dotted outline position in Fig. 11, a single lever |19, pivoted at |81 in a suitable place on the printing carriage, is rocked counterclockwise in opposition to its return spring |62, and by so moving, a sidewardly extending ledge |83 thereof engages and raises one of the side plates |84 which support the ends of the shaft |85. These side plates |84 are pivoted on shaft |56. This movement causes the side plates |84 to shift from their solid outline to their dotted outline position, Fig. 11, causing the roller |41 to be correspondingly raised and with it platen |49 which is moved to the dotted outline position in registration with the figure characters of the type pallets when disposed in the printing position 90. v

The limits of motion in executing the case shift movement may be regulated by means of the adjustment screws |9| and |92 (Fig. 11) which limit the distance of movement of a sidewardly extending stop lug |93. When the printing appastoring the effectiveness of 'said limiting means upon encounter with a distribution of notchings corresponding to said device.

2. In a permutation code selecting apparatus, a series of coded selector bars each having variously distributed V-notched coding, a device traversing said bars and movable longitudinally thereof having probing engagement with said bars in accordance with the notchings thereon, means for limiting the movement of said device to one character space, means for rendering said limiting means ineiective, thereby to enable continuous movement of said elements through a plurality of character spaces at a time and means for restoring the eilectiveness of said limiting means upon encounter with an arrangement of notchings corresponding predetermlnedly to the disposition of said device.

ratus is employed in the gure shift position it is f contemplated to restore it to the letter shift po-v sition before a subsequent tabulation operation is undertaken.

While the present invention has been explained and described in connection with specific embodiments, it will be understood that numerous modications and variations may be made Without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. It is accordingly not intended to be limited by the particular illustrations in the accompanying drawings nor by the detailed descriptions employed in the foregoing specification except as limitations are indicated in the hereunto appended claims. d

The invention claimed is:

l. In a permutation code signal selecting mechanism, a set of coded selectors, a selectably positionable device adapted to be moved longitudinally of said selectors and to traverse said selectors, means carried by said device responsive to the coded notchings in said selectors, means for limiting the movement of said device to4 one character space, means for rendering said limiting means ineffectively, thereby to enable continuous movement of said device through a plurality of character spaces at a time, and apparatus fmre- 3. In a permutation code selecting mechanism, a series of code bars each having variously distributed. code notchings on corresponding edges thereof and arranged in various alignment transversely, a device for selecting a linear position relative to said series of bars comprisinga plurality of code notch sensing elements one associated with each of said bars and collectively carried by said device, and means for effecting a selective response upon encountering notchings in said bars in correspondence with the disposition of said probing elements of said device.

4. In a printing telegraph apparatus, a type basket comprising a segmental arrangement of type elements each pivoted so as to strike against a common printing locus, an alignment of printing platens each associated with a separate supply ofy print marking receiving material, telegraphically controlled means for advancing said type basket to address each one of said platens Selectively, and line feed mechanism for rotating an addressed platen and thereby advancing said material exclusively when said type basket is in registration therewith.

5. In a telegraph printing system, a plurality of platens arranged on a, common horizontal axis, tape feed means associated with each one of said platens including a tensioned take-up roll for said platens, a pallet and escape reel mechanism associated with each one of said platens, a movable carriage, telegraphically controlled means for advancing said carriage to address each one of said platens selectively and means responsive to a line feed signal for selectively actuating said pallet and escapement mechanisms when said carriage is in registration therewith to permit the advancement of the tape thereat.

6. A selecting apparatus comprising a series of notched bars parallelly arranged in which said notches are .distributed variously in accordance with a plurality of transverse code patterns, a selectable member having probing elements each shiftable to afford predetermined code setting adjustment, and means for probing said notchings on said bars during linear movement of said member in accordance with the predetermined setting of said elements thereon.

7.. In a page printing telegraph apparatus, a shiftable type carriage, a trackway having notch and lug code markings arranged parallel to the movement of said carriage, and means carried by said carriage for traversing said trackway inlcluding selectable elements controlled by the code markings in said trackway for effecting the arrestment of said carriage accordingly.

y 8. In a page printing telegraph apparatus, a horizontally shiftable printing carriage, a rotary direction of tabulation, a series of elements, each having variously distributed code notchi'ngs on corresponding edges thereof along the course of.

travel of said carriage, said notchings arranged in various alignments transversely, probing means carried by said carriagaand means under the control of said probing means upon attainment of predetermined alignments of said code notchings for arresting the communication of power from said rotary source.

9. A case shift apparatus for multiple platen printing mechanisms vcomprising a' plurality of platens arranged in a linear alignment, a shiftable printing mechanism movable parallelly to said linear ,alignment for printing upon said platens selectively, a case shift mechanism for raising and lowering said platens in accordance with predetermined selecting signals therefor, 'and a case shift member communicatingly. carried by said printing mechanism for imparting the case shift movement of said apparatus to predetermined ones of said platens in accordance with the alignment of said carriage. 10. In a printing telegraph apparatus, a plurality of coded selecting elements, a shiftable printing carriage, a selector predeterminedly responsive to the arrangement of said selecting elements for moving said carriage in tabular shift manner, and a device for preventing the selection of said selector in any other than predetermined position of said carriage. y 11. In a printing telegraph apparatus, a shiftable carriage, horizontal guide means for supporting said carriage in its transverse movement of shifting, code combination conditionable means extending parallelly to the path of travel of said carriage, a selectable member responsive to said means for moving said carriage from a zero position to 'predetermined ones of a plurality of tabulation positions, and a device for preventing the selective response of said selector means in any but said zero position of said shiftable carriage,

. 12. In a printing telegraph machine, a shiftable carriage, a permutation code selecting mechanism supported by said carriage, means parallel to the path of travel of said carriage having multiple code combination characteristics, and code characteristic sensing -apparatus conditionable by said selecting mechanism to accord selectively with said multiple code combination characteristics. d

13. In a, shiftable platen mechanism for typing machines, a plurality of platens arranged in alignment, a printing carriage shiftable parallelly to said alignment, a lever for shifting said platens between alternative case positions, an'd an interponent carried by said carriage constituting a linkage between said lever and any one of said plurality of platens opposite which, said carriage is disposed.

14. In a recorder, al plurality of stationary paper carriers, a single type carriage movable with 'respect to said carriers to form character spaces,

permutation code mechanism mounted on said carriage including longitudinally adjustable code members, means to operate said code mechanism permutably according to the record to be made, and means to select the paper carrier with which the type carriage is to cooperate to make the record.

15. In a recorder, a stationary supporting framework, a plurality of paper carriers mounted in said framework, a type carriage movable with respect to said paper carriers, and means to select the paper carrier with which the type carriage is to cooperate to make a record.-

16. In a recorder, a stationary supporting vsaid recording operations.

1'7. In a recorder, a stationary supporting framework, a pluralityof carriers of record-receiving material mounted in said framework, recording means movable with respect to said carriers, and means to select the carrier with which the recording means is to cooperate to make a record.

18. In a recorder, a stationary supporting framework, a plurality of carriers of record-receiving material mounted in said framework, recording means movable with respect to said carriers, a bail in said framework, slidable connecting means between said recording means and said bail to effect recording operations, and means to select the carrier with which the recording means is to effect recording operations.

19. In a telegraph printer, a plurality of sta tionary paper carriers, a traveling type carriage, means for effecting the normal spacing movement of said carriage, selecting mechanism, further means operable under vthe control of said Selecting mechanism to render said spacing means intype carriage and operable with said notched members to controlthe movement of said carriage to a selected one of said paper carriers.

20. In a recorder, a plurality of stationary carriers of record-receiving material, recording means, means for effecting the normal spacing 'movement of said recording means, selecting mechanism, further means operable under the control of saidselecting mechanism to render said spacing means ineffective and to facilitate the continuous movement of said recording means, a series of members notched in accordance with a predetermined coded pattern, and probing means carried by said type carriage and operable with said notched members to control the movement of said carriage to aiselected one of said carriers.

21. In a telegraph printer, a plurality of printing platens, a single traveling type carriage cooperable therewith, a case shift mechanism individual to each platen, means to select the platen with which the type carriage is to cooperate to make a record, and means associated with the type carriage to operate the case shift mechanism individual to the selected platen.

22. In a recorder, a plurality of platens, a single recording means cooperable therewith, a, case shift means individual to each platen, means to select the platen with which the recording means is to cooperate to make a record, and means associated with the recording means to operate the case shift means individual to the selected platen.

23. In a recorder, a stationary supporting' recording means, means to select the carrier with l erable under the control of said selecting mechanism to render said spacing means ineective and to facilitate the continuous movement of said receiving means to a selected one of said carriers, and means controlled by said further means to render said transmitting means ineffective during the continuous movement of said receiving means.

\ LOUIS M. POITS. 

